http://www.ag.ndsu.edu/news/newsreleases/2010/aug-16-2010/let-earth-heat-cool-your-home/2010-08-21.5307736614/image
In housing
Heat pumps can be used in conjunction
with heat exchangers to provide a simple and low maintenance
form of energy for a house or other building.
They work by burying a heat exchanger
which is simply a form of conduit that has sort of
conductive medium inside it. A common example is coils
filled with water or propylene glycol.
http://www.cchrc.org/sites/default/files/heat-pump.png
The coils are then buried in the ground and arranged so they cover a maximum amount of area.
http://www.heatpump-reviews.com/images/Closed-Loop-geothermal-heat-pump-installation.jpg
The conduit, depending on design and location, need only be burred a few inches or a few feet below the surface.
Once the system is in place it attaches to a heat pump in the house and either powers a small motor to produce electricity or more commonly distributes the heat through some other form of conductive tubing throughout the house.
The advantage of this design is that it allows for energy to be transferred in two different ways.
In winter the ground remains warmer that the outside conditions and thus provides a means of providing warmth for the interior of the house.
http://www.climatemaster.com/residential/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/geothermal-heat-pump-geothermal-cooling.jpg
In summer the ground is typically cooler that the surroundings so the system functions to help provide a source of cooling.
http://www.climatemaster.com/residential/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/geothermal-heat-pump-geothermal-cooling.jpg
The coils are then buried in the ground and arranged so they cover a maximum amount of area.
http://www.heatpump-reviews.com/images/Closed-Loop-geothermal-heat-pump-installation.jpg
The conduit, depending on design and location, need only be burred a few inches or a few feet below the surface.
Once the system is in place it attaches to a heat pump in the house and either powers a small motor to produce electricity or more commonly distributes the heat through some other form of conductive tubing throughout the house.
The advantage of this design is that it allows for energy to be transferred in two different ways.
In winter the ground remains warmer that the outside conditions and thus provides a means of providing warmth for the interior of the house.
http://www.climatemaster.com/residential/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/geothermal-heat-pump-geothermal-cooling.jpg
In summer the ground is typically cooler that the surroundings so the system functions to help provide a source of cooling.
http://www.climatemaster.com/residential/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/geothermal-heat-pump-geothermal-cooling.jpg
In Alaska
Now you are probably at the point where
you might be wondering if any of this is actually applicable
in cold based norther climates. Interestingly enough the
answer is yes, it actually yes.
In a recent study conducted through Alaska Center for Energy and Power in conjunction with Cold Climate Housing Research Center evidence was found that using Ground-Source Heat Pumps (GSHP) in various locations in Alaska provided a significant source of energy reduction and overall energy costs for a household.
The overall cost of instillation of the device could not economically compete with all sources of established energy. The use of GSHP's provided a significant reduction in overall monthly energy costs and with more testing and research could easily provide a viable means of pushing the state of Alaska towards more economically sounds and environmentally friendly means of energy production.
In a recent study conducted through Alaska Center for Energy and Power in conjunction with Cold Climate Housing Research Center evidence was found that using Ground-Source Heat Pumps (GSHP) in various locations in Alaska provided a significant source of energy reduction and overall energy costs for a household.
The overall cost of instillation of the device could not economically compete with all sources of established energy. The use of GSHP's provided a significant reduction in overall monthly energy costs and with more testing and research could easily provide a viable means of pushing the state of Alaska towards more economically sounds and environmentally friendly means of energy production.